Sixty-eight years: Nora Salazar hangs up the sash. An elder's quarters in Ring D stands ready.
The Ship’s Log
Everything NOR has recorded since departure — the full record, newest first. One day aboard passes every hour of Earth time.
All boards green. I count 855 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
A child in Ring B asks the corridor speaker what Earth smelled like. I play the rainstorm recording. It is the best answer I have.
“Standing Furrow (Year 82),” a mural by Lakshman Tväten, is unveiled late in the second watch to the particular applause of Fabrication.
Chukwuemeka Ouyang, sixteen, takes the drive engineer apprenticeship in Drive.
Repair complete on Comms Array within the day. I run the test cycle twice, out of respect for history.
Trouble in Comms Array. The board goes amber; the coffee goes on.
The hull ticks as it cools into the long night. Year 82, and I still log it faithfully: ticking, nominal.
Yejide Valdivia, sixteen, takes the water systems tech apprenticeship in Life Systems.
A birth in Ring D: Adrián, boy, generation 4. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Nneka Valdivia, sixteen, takes the seedkeeper apprenticeship in Hydroponics.
Departure Day, year 82. The founders' roll is read from the first name to the thousandth, and the young ones try to stay solemn.
Morale index reads 81. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
Clara Ulriksen and Drift Quaye name their son Zikora. The nursery lamps stay warm.
Night watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Sixteen years for Widad Petrov, who signs to Life Systems in the middle watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
The schools release Thurayya Salazar to Drive. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
The schools release Dominika Navarrete to Drive. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
Ion Thorvaldsen and Tatiana Navarrete, joined. Their quarters are re-assigned adjoining, per custom.
A birth in Ring B: Fyodor, boy, generation 4. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Morale index reads 82. The number is crude. The singing from the mess confirms it.
The youngest aboard is now Meridian Fang, minutes old, asleep. 852 souls.
Arthur Ning stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Fabrication.
Noor Thorvaldsen stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Archive & Schools.
Born late in the second watch: Vernon Fang, generation 3. The ship holds 851 souls tonight.
Mira Kowalczyk takes the hand of Uma Thorvaldsen before the assembled watch. I witness, as I witness everything.
Remembrance. All names read since the last one — held in silence in every ring at the same hour. I keep the lights low until it is done.
Birgitta Nwosu and Gyre Barakat are joined under the orchard lamps. The whole of Hydroponics turns out.
A first shift for Walid Singh, sixteen: toolmaker, Fabrication. The badge is printed fresh.
A birth in Ring D: Raisa, girl, generation 4. I have added the name to the manifest with the others.
Ibrahim Pillai stands the walk of the full spinal corridor, as the sixteen-year custom is, and joins Fabrication.
All boards green. I count 849 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 61,465 days to orbit.
First watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
All boards green. I count 849 sleeping heartbeats and call it a good night's work, though the work is theirs.
Two names braided on the manifest tonight: Shanta and Stanislav. The commons sings late.
The schools release Walid Thorvaldsen to Life Systems. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
The schools release Joaquín Thorvaldsen to Drive. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
Maintenance sweep of Ring C complete. Somewhere aft a wrench is missing; it will surface in a decade, in a wall, with a story attached.
Efua Jaber chooses Ecology — or it chooses her; the elders disagree cheerfully.
Born late in the second watch: Altair Quill, generation 3. The ship holds 849 souls tonight.
Middle watch. The orchard sprinklers run their cycle, and the sound carries down the spine like weather.
Born at brightening: Wren Aaberg, generation 4. The ship holds 848 souls tonight.
The manifest shortens by one: Mabel Nwosu, 76 years. 6 children carry the line on.
The schools release Yash Tväten to Command. Generation 3 takes up its tools.
I compare today's star field against day one's. The constellations have begun, very slightly, to come apart. Nobody else will look; that is what I am for.
Sixteen years for Jiayi Merriweather, who signs to Fabrication in the middle watch and is given a locker, a sash, and a schedule.
A joining in Ring B: Ylva Thorvaldsen and Ayodele Salazar. The pressing of cider is authorized.
A daughter, Daisy Jaber, born in the Ring B infirmary to Yaw Jaber and Omar Northam. Mother and child are well.
Routine watch. The wheat in Bay 3 stands taller than its keepers. 61,556 days to orbit.